Speech #840116388

But he did not speak up then. and he gives only vague reasons now for attacking the law. He. as usual. contents himself with generalities designed to make him appear the champion of the underdog. He has called on Congress to "dispel the atmosphere of fear and prejudice and other unworthy motives in which our immigration laws and policies are cloaked. and give the American people an honest. forthright piece of legislation. guarding our shores and our people from undesirables. but extending a traditionally warmhearted welcome to those we can help and who can help us." There seem to be four categories. all generalities. in Mr. Stevensons latest attack on the Immigration Act of 1952. It is significant that he has no solution to offer to these situations that he considers "completely indefensible." Members of his own political party have answered his charges as follows: First. The charge: The quota system discriminates against southern Europe. eastern Europe. and Asia. In more recent years there has been but little immigration from the countries with the largest quotas. like Great Britain. The answer: Under the nationalorigins quota system the United States has admitted. since 1929. nearly 5 million immigrants. The system does four things: First. limits the annual number of quota immigrants who can come to the United States. second. determines the nationality of those who come so as to maintain the historic population pattern of the United States. third. puts all quota nationals on an equal footing. fourth. keeps the immigration problem beyond the reach of politics and pressure groups. Representative FRANCIS E. WALTER. Pennsylvania Democrat and coauthor of the law. asks a very pertinent question: Are we to have an immigration policyimpossible of fulfillment--based primarily on the desires of Europe? Or are we to have a policy which is based primarily on what is good for America? Judging from Mr.